BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[gjensen]

Hi. One of this I havent got information and knowledge is about chicken colourings. For example Sussex have 4 kind of colours, wiandottes too, brahmas etc...
The bramas and sussex how one colour type equal, brown and white. Brahmas have that wiandottes silver colouring too. It speciallly I dont like barred wiandottes, cause barred colouring own barred rocks, u know.. and etc etc, barreds even are white... I would never take white barreds or barred wiandottes.. I believe each breed should his own colouring... What changes they colouring? Is the same breed, for example now Sussex, all four colouring chickens are the same blood? Same charestericks?
I find speckleds even look different in faces..
P.S, talkin about sussex If im gonna incubate more, I probably gonna take few sussex, I have white ''Dominant sussex'es', Appearance difference is that pure Sussex'es are bigger and with white legs, mines have yellow, if healthy..
P.S, someone can send me just to talk someone smarter about those colourings. I guess its aint just pellet colored elexiris, But mixing with somebreed who just give offspring his coloiring, aint something like this?
Thanks for reading folks, and waiting opinions. Hope yall understand..
Strains and how to mix breeds is one of my main interests in chickens..

I could help you with any of it, but you would have to get more specific. You have brought up a number of points. One at a time would be easier.

If you are interested in discussing a couple colors, and their combination, that would be easy enough to do.

If you are wanting to figure out how to breed forward more productive birds, that is easy to discuss.

One point at a time would make it easier to accomplish (to get started), no matter what that point is.

Your English is good. That is not a problem if we work through this point by point.

 

[Our Roost]

I couldn't say it any better! Considering the amount of game fowl chicken available during the reign of Queen Victoria, Its no wonder the Dorking was the best thing going! Think more on the birds the Dorking was used for in the makings of better breeds. It was left behind for better reasons. It may have been the best tasting bird back then but surely not now. Caution to the wind in what you wish for.

 

[gevshiba]

Heck, I don't have a problem with the long grow out, I've picked j giants as my focus breed Lol! Just didn't expect the Sussex, didn't order them. DW thinks we have too many chickens? Huh?
Right now I'm not to happy with what I got for white j giants, only half of them look like they are supposed to, four of them are white, they are not supposed to be white until they get older. I ordered 15 langshans, they said on the phone they couldn't fill it and I wasn't getting them. Paperwork on arrival said I had 25 chicks 4 langshans, I only count one...and only 22 chicks? The single langshan is definitely the biggest one, huge head and body. Guess they can't count? What am I supposed to do with one langshan? The red Sussex are the most active, I want to keep them...wife says no....Maybe I can hide them?

I even offered to butcher the laying hens we have now!

I just counted, I think five out of twelve look like what white j giants are supposed to look like, pretty sad when you can see that as chicks....

Tell your wife you need to grow them out for taste comparisons. Tell her you heard they were the best tasting chickens ever and you have to know if that's true.

There is like 'strains' where egg + meat birds have differences, ya?
I've heard for esample Jersey Giants, that I guess black ones grow faster than whites, or reverse.
Probably offspring growing speed selection and breeding further, ya?
P.S, sorry for not 100% correct language.

Yes, different strains will have differences. I have no experience with different strains or varieties of Sussex, but from what I've seen, the Light Sussex are larger and mature faster. However, I could be wrong, since I've never owned any.

 

[Ifish]

I couldn't say it any better! Considering the amount of game fowl chicken available during the reign of Queen Victoria, Its no wonder the Dorking was the best thing going! Think more on the birds the Dorking was used for in the makings of better breeds. It was left behind for better reasons. It may have been the best tasting bird back then but surely not now. Caution to the wind in what you wish for.

While I don't want to disagree, I do to a point. I think the dorking and other heritage fowl were left behind because of modern practices. Modern mega meat corps, and modern marketing. Grocery stores have plump hybrids every day of the week, but a dorking surely tastes better than a grocery store chicken. It was a culture shift, and not so much better fowl imo.

 

[Our Roost]

Quote:
Hmmm, modern practices eh? Mega meat corps eh? I think before I would credit these people, I would first credit the farmers for their utility breeding that lead to the worlds Cornish x grocery store breed. I think you miss the point on all the other meat birds that have been developed long after the dorking came to pass as a once was great table fare bird. The dorking is a fine bird but its also very rare.

 

[Ifish]

Hmmm, modern practices eh? Mega meat corps eh? I think before I would credit these people, I would first credit the farmers for their utility breeding that lead to the worlds Cornish x grocery store breed. I think you miss the point on all the other meat birds that have been developed long after the dorking came to pass as a once was great table fare bird. The dorking is a fine bird but its also very rare.

I give credit where I see it, and I see the Cornish x as a genetically protected science experiment that worked out very well. Could I be wrong? Surely, and I am ok with that. How else can i learn? How many companies control the Cornish Cross when you finally get to the top of the umbrella?

No point missed. I'm raising New Hampshires because of their utility, but still believe the Dorking was a respectable fowl, and still can be today. Josephs Whites show the potential of the dorking.

I wasn't trying to debate, or say that you were wrong, just wanted to state my opinion.

 

[gjensen]

While I don't want to disagree, I do to a point. I think the dorking and other heritage fowl were left behind because of modern practices. Modern mega meat corps, and modern marketing. Grocery stores have plump hybrids every day of the week, but a dorking surely tastes better than a grocery store chicken. It was a culture shift, and not so much better fowl imo.

They sell what we want. White tender meat, a lot of it, and cheap.

We may have a more refined taste, but generally speaking people get what they want.

The average person in public would scoff at the carcass of a typical "heritage breed" on their table. If people truly wanted what we had and at steak prices, that is what would sell. The market is run by the consumer.

 

[gjensen]

I give credit where I see it, and I see the Cornish x as a genetically protected science experiment that worked out very well. Could I be wrong? Surely, and I am ok with that. How else can i learn? How many companies control the Cornish Cross when you finally get to the top of the umbrella?

No point missed. I'm raising New Hampshires because of their utility, but still believe the Dorking was a respectable fowl, and still can be today. Josephs Whites show the potential of the dorking.

I wasn't trying to debate, or say that you were wrong, just wanted to state my opinion.

The accomplishments have been impressive. The more you learn about what it takes to make insignificant improvements, the more you will appreciate what has been accomplished. They have overcome a number of substantial genetic antagonisms to get where they are. And they are not done. If the bird flu does not turn it all upside down. LOL.

Practically speaking, these others have fallen so far behind, it is not even comparable. The NHs have more potential than many others, but it is in part, unrealized. The Dorking is even farther behind, but have the history to make them commendable. The Dorking is a unique fowl, with a unique and long history.

The history does matter. A lot of other things matter. For one thing, the commercial birds are horrible homestead type birds. I would not want to depend on them. I also have an independent streak where I do not like depending on any other. Continuing with that model does keep me a dependent.

We are not being honest with our selves if we claim that our fowl can even come close to competing though. Not in the model most operate in, and where we are dependents on Tractor Supply.

 

[Ifish]

They sell what we want. White tender meat, a lot of it, and cheap.

We may have a more refined taste, but generally speaking people get what they want.

The average person in public would scoff at the carcass of a typical "heritage breed" on their table. If people truly wanted what we had and at steak prices, that is what would sell. The market is run by the consumer.

I do agree fundamentally. Though Lately it would be up for debate. We didn't know we needed an Iphone until it was released. I don't think that we knew we needed a cornish cross until we had it. Reading the history of chickens, lots of people were trying to create a better chicken. But it seemed that the chickens were just fine for most people.

Many texts point to heritage birds being king, and dieing out or being severely neglected after the cornish cross. Big time super markets cam about at the same time, and they needed meat for the store. The demographics and culture changed big time around WW2 in all aspects.

 

[Ifish]

The accomplishments have been impressive. The more you learn about what it takes to make insignificant improvements, the more you will appreciate what has been accomplished. They have overcome a number of substantial genetic antagonisms to get where they are. And they are not done. If the bird flu does not turn it all upside down. LOL.

Practically speaking, these others have fallen so far behind, it is not even comparable. The NHs have more potential than many others, but it is in part, unrealized. The Dorking is even farther behind, but have the history to make them commendable. The Dorking is a unique fowl, with a unique and long history.

The history does matter. A lot of other things matter. For one thing, the commercial birds are horrible homestead type birds. I would not want to depend on them. I also have an independent streak where I do not like depending on any other. Continuing with that model does keep me a dependent.

We are not being honest with our selves if we claim that our fowl can even come close to competing though. Not in the model most operate in, and where we are dependents on Tractor Supply.

I agree. I did not mean to take anything away from those who made, or the cornish cross itself. It is a remarkable fowl. Nor do I think I could compete with it's plump breast, but I do feel I can compete with that fowl in certain demographics because it lacks flavor. Though the only competition in that department will be held at my table with our taste buds.